This invention relates generally to a disk saw and more specifically to a tooth and holder arrangement for such a disk saw.
Logging operations commonly use a work machine, such as a feller-buncher, to harvest trees. These work machines are generally equipped with a harvesting head containing a disk saw, which does the actual cutting of the tree. Due to the hostile operating environment in a forest, the teeth of the disk saw often become dull or break, necessitating sharpening or replacement. The teeth of the disk saw are commonly made to be replaceable and mount to a tooth holder (also separately replaceable) which is then mounted to the disk saw. An example of this type of tooth and holder arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,212, issued May 18, 1993 to Carlson et al. (hereafter referenced as ""212).
""212 provides for a replaceable holder with two replaceable cutting teeth. The tooth and holder arrangement disclosed in ""212 includes many different pieces. Since a forest work site is often in a remote location, the unavailability of one or more of these many pieces can cause undue downtime for a work machine and operator, which can be quite costly. Several of the pieces of the ""212 device are also relatively small, requiring the operator to exercise extra caution when replacing the tooth or holder so that the small places do not become misplaced in the debris on the forest floor. Additionally, the head of the bolt attaching the tooth to the holder is located on the leading face of the assembly, which can cause contact damage or debris buildup when the tooth is cutting into a tree. The bolt holding the holder to the saw disk must be precisely aligned with the nut and washer inside an axial hole in the saw disk, and the nut and washer, along with the holder and bolt, can be awkward for the operator to hold and manipulate. Any of these conditions can cause time-consuming and frustrating difficulties when the tooth and/or holder need to be replaced. The axial hole in the saw disk also could be a stress concentrator and weaken the disk. The arrangement of the holder of ""212 causes all forces perpendicular to the direction of saw disk travel to be transferred from the holder to the saw disk through the bolt and the dowels shown, which could cause shearing damage to the bolt and dowels.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
In one aspect of the present invention, a disk saw is provided that has a rim and at least one disk slot. A holder is provided that has a holder bolt hole and that is positioned in a substantially radial direction to the axis A and is aligned with the at least one disk slot.
In another aspect of the present invention, a tooth holder for use in a forestry application is provided. The tooth holder comprises a holder top face, a contoured base face opposite the holder top face, a tooth end face extending between the base face and the holder top face, a holder end face opposite the tooth end face, and at least one inner side face located adjacent to and extending beyond the contoured base face in a direction away from the holder top face.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for detachably attaching a tooth and holder to a saw disk is disclosed. This method comprises steps of positioning the holder in a disk slot on an edge of the saw disk, mating a contoured holder base face with a contoured disk slot face, overlapping an inner side face of the holder with the disk slot face in direct contact with a rim of the saw disk, inserting a fastener through a holder bolt hole in the holder and into the disk, placing a tooth against the holder, and inserting a fastener through the holder and into the tooth such that it passes through the holder bolt hole.